Â鶹ԭ´´

WVU has an illustrious history in life-span development as the first program in this field. Our program continues to provide in-depth training to the next generation of life-span developmental psychologists. Graduates are highly successful in obtaining employment and find positions in academia, government, research institutions, foundations and applied settings.

The Ph.D. in developmental psychology combines breadth of training in perspectives on normal development across the life span with depth and rigor of training in an area of specialization selected by the student. The program produces disciplined researchers who are also skilled classroom instructors. Students are funded via teaching and research assistantships.

WVU’s Psychology Department received the Innovation in Graduate Education Award from the American Psychological Association in recognition of the junior-colleague model used to train graduate students. Students acquire professional skills trough direct participation in classroom instruction. As junior colleagues, students and faculty collaborate in research rather than students serving as research assistants assigned to individual faculty. Contact among faculty and students outside the classroom is frequent and informal.